Mathematica Editor Advantages


The Mathematica code editor provides many features to speed and improve your applications development. These include but are not limited to the following 25 features.

1. Syntax error and warning reporting

Code warnings and errors are generated for all files, not just files that are currently open. Learn more.

2. Symbol usage information popup

This is a noninvasive way to remember how to use a command. It works automatically for your commands as well as system commands. Learn more.

3. Add or remove a comment with a keystroke

This is a convenient way to disable or enable a section of code. Learn more.

4. Automatic indenting

If you press Enter, the level of indentation is kept. If you enter a "[" character, the level is increased. The indentation size can be adjusted.

5. Find function definitions

You can quickly navigate to the definition of a function. Learn more.

6. Find function references

Shows you all occurences of your function name in your projects. Learn more.

7. Bracket matching features

Put the cursor next to any grouping charcter (bracket, brace, quote, etc...) and the matching character will be highlighted with a box. Learn more

8. Move to match

When the cursor is next to a grouping character, there is a keyboard shortcut to move to the match, even if the match is offscreen. Learn more.

9. Undo

An extensive multiple-stage undo is provided.

10. Edit in multiple editors

A file can be edited using multiple editors at once, allowing you to edit different parts at the same time.

11. Code-editing navigation

Allows you to move forward and backward through all files and parts of files that you are working on.

12. Extensive warnings

There are several classes of warnings for common errors, such as a missing argument. Learn more.

13. Marked unused variables

Unused local variables and function arguments are marked with a warning. Learn more.

14. Outline

The outline gives a summary of the contents of the file that you are currently editing; it also makes it easier to navigate the file. Learn more.

15. Expression navigation

Using the keyboard and/or the mouse you can navigate up, down, left, or right through the expression tree. Learn more.

16. Quick fixes

Several quick fixes greatly speed up common coding tasks, such as exporting a function or renaming a symbol. Learn more.

17. Syntax coloring

Mathemetica code is colored according to the structure of the file. Different colors are applied to public and private symbols, comments and strings, and other code elements. Learn more.

18. Pattern search/replace

Search through your sources using Mathematica patterns; use replace to refactor code definitions across all files. Learn more.

19. Text search/replace

Powerful plain text searching across all of your files supports case-sensitive searching as well as regular expressions.

20. Line numbers

Easily turn on the display of line numbers, which is useful for code navigation.

21. TODO comments

A comment that starts with TODO provides a task. All defined tasks can be seen in the Tasks view, which is useful for marking things to revisit. Learn more.

22. Manual indenting

Shift a block of code left or right for the layout you want.

23. Code formatter

Formats a whole file, with features such as adding newlines and spaces between expressions, thereby improving the readability of the code. Learn more.

24. Compare editor

Allows for easy comparison of source files, including structual comparison of Mathematica notebooks.

25. Local history

Automatically tracks your changes without requiring you to use a version control system, allowing you to see what you have done and easily revert if necessary.